SVSU pool undergoes renovations to become regional aquatics center

View full sizeBrittney Lohmiller | The Saginaw NewsDaniel Suero, 14 of Hoffman Estates, Illinois, waits to compete in the 200 IM at the National Junior Disability Championship at SVSU's Ryder Center pool last week. The pool is undergoing renovations to make it available for swim meets.

KOCHVILLE TWP. — Saginaw Valley State University officials want the pool in the Ryder Center to be a regional attraction for aquatic events.

With renovations starting Monday, the facility will be up to that standard and will have a new name: The Gerstacker Regional Aquatics Center at SVSU, 7400 Bay in Kochville Township.

The Gerstacker Foundation of Midland granted the university $187,500 for the work, and the SVSU Board of Control in June approved $197,500 from capital project reserves.

“As a university, we do our best to be the regional place if someone needs a pool, a football field,” said Matt Oberlin, SVSU assistant athletic director. “We want to be the university the community can lean on.”

Construction is scheduled to be completed Aug. 15.

The pool will have new lighting underwater and in the ceiling, redoing the diving boards and moving them to a better location, replacing the starting blocks, repainting the lane lines and a new video message board.

“Pretty much everything in here will be brand new,” Oberlin said.

Renovations also include a redone bulkhead, a moveable divide that spans the width of the pool to allow for different sizes.

Oberlin said for different swim meets and events, SVSU officials can change the length to 25 meters, 25 yard or 50 meters.

The pool is original from 1991, although the diving board are newer.

SVSU currently hosts senior programming, open swim sessions, swimming lessons and special events at the pool, said SVSU Aquatics Director Megan Baldwin.

She and Oberlin worked for two years planning the changes and learning the needs of the region.

The need for a high-quality aquatics center is there, Oberlin said.

“Schools are lined up and ready to go,” he said.

SVSU has not yet signed contracts with local high schools, but will move forward with that process once the renovations are complete.

J.J. Boehm, SVSU spokesman, said he hopes the pool is another location that brings young children out to the campus and help the students envision themselves going to college.

“A university is supposed to help a community lift its sights,” he said. “This is another way to do that.”